Today we face a climate of ever increasing misdirection by popular media. This site, along with others, aims to reveal the reality of America and the loss of fact inherent to the over riding theme of our current political and social confusion: Purposeful deception.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Criminalizing Dissent in America

America has a sordid repressive history. Among others, First
Amendment rights are violated.

It guarantees freedom of
religion, expression, to petition government for redress of grievances, and
right to peacefully assemble.

The 1798 Alien and Sedition
Acts restricted First Amendment freedoms.

So did 1919 anti-communist
Palmer raids, the 1934 Special Committee on Un-American Activities, its House
Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) successor, secret FBI COINTELPRO
crackdowns, the 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, the 2001
USA Patriot Act, and other post-9/11 measures.

These and other measures
expanded government surveillance, eroded habeas, formalized military tribunals,
permitted torture-extracted confessions, and instituted violence for national
security.

FBI "terrorist
profiles" can investigate anyone for any reason. So can local police
working cooperatively or alone. Street protests can be criminalized. America's right
to dissent is endangered.

On October 28, 2011, DC
Superior Court Judge Russell Canan found eight Veterans
for Peace (VFP) members guilty of "failure to obey" and
"blocking/incommoding." Fined $150, it could have been much worse.

Defendants cited First
Amendment rights to petition government for redress of grievances. Founded in
1985, VFP opposes US-sponsored wars, saying help us end them.

It also wants domestic and
international law obeyed, and crimes of war and against humanity ended. During
trial proceedings, Richard Duffee petitioned for international law experts to
testify. Judge Canan denied them. Defendants will appeal his verdict.

Last February, Democratic
National Committee members chose Charlotte,
NC for the party's 2012 national
convention.

Called "Wall Street of
the South," city officials drafted an ordinance to make camping on public
property a "public nuisance." It also prohibits "noxious
substances," padlocks and other camping equipment, potentially able to
impede traffic and create public safety concerns. In late January, it's
expected to pass.

"Unlike many cities
that have well-developed regulations governing protest activity, our local
regulations contain gaps that need to be filled."

However, an ordinance
related memo states:

"The recent issues
related to camping on city property have further amplified the need to review
whether the city wants to regulate this activity during the DNC."

A city councilman said once
passed, overnight OWS stays will end. North
Carolina's National Lawyers Guild cited
constitutional issues and possible "increased confrontation between
protesters and police."

Tampa will host the 2012 Republican National Convention.
Thousands of police will secure convention site areas. Officials expect up to
15,000 protesters in town.

Federal and local
authorities have contingency plans for anything. Homeland Security (DHS) calls
national conventions, as well as G-8/G-20, IMF, World Bank and similar summits
"national special security events."

Whether or not Tampa plans anti-protest
legislation, OWS and others present will be targeted, constrained and perhaps
evicted. Constitutional rights will be denied. Freedom will take another body
blow.

On January 18, Chicago's City Council
will consider Mayor
Rahm Emanuel's anti-protest measures. Occupy neighborhood groups said
provisions will chill constitutionally protected political speech. They reduce
protest durations to two hours and double fines for arrests.

Public parks and beaches
would close until 6AM, two hours later than now. In addition, loud noise,
amplified sound, and music at parades and public assemblies would be allowed
only between 8 - 10PM.

Other provisions restrict
parade organizers and let city officials levy punitive fines. Chicago's police
commissioner also could deputize law enforcement officials from federal and
state agencies, including the FBI, DEA, ATF, Illinois State Police, Illinois
Attorney General, Justice Department, Cook County State's Attorney, and others.

Coordinated federal and
local efforts target OWS protesters. Emanuel's very much involved. Proposed Chicago measures escalate
repression. OWS and other protests are targeted. So are fundamental rights.

In May 2012, federal and
state SWAT team shock forces and snipers will threaten them when G-8 and NATO
summits convene. According to an unnamed source, "(T)hey'll be able to shoot
the head off a nickel from 500 feet."

USA Patriot Act provisions
compromised due process, freedom of association, and protections from
unreasonable searches and seizures. They also authorized unchecked surveillance
powers to access personal records, monitor financial transactions, as well as
student, medical and other records.

Virtually anything goes
replaced constitutional protections. For the first time, "domestic
terrorism" became a federal crime, applicable to US citizens and aliens.
It states criminal law violations are considered domestic terrorist acts if
they aim to "influence (government policy) by intimidation or coercion
(or) intimidate or coerce a civilian population."

In other words, nonviolent
anti-war or global justice demonstrations, environmental or animal rights
activism, civil disobedience, and dissent of any kind may be called
"domestic terrorism," including OWS protests.

With no hearing or notice,
the Patriot Act's Section 806 lets authorities confiscate or freeze foreign and
domestic assets of any individual, entity, or organization accused of engaging
in, planning, supporting, concealing, or perpetrating acts called domestic or
international terrorism against America.
Even nonviolent protests are affected.

Other harsh provisions give
authorities wide latitude to twist the law perversely and advantageously. As a
result, anyone associated with activities called terrorism may be targeted,
whether or not true.

(3) Permitting alleged
suspect organizations and individuals surveilled, whether or not evidence links
them to terrorism or complicity to commit it.

Provisions of the 2006
Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act can also target OWS and other protesters.
Designed primarily against animal rights activists, it applies to other
advocacy, protest activity, and all forms of civil disobedience.

Moreover, repression's so
extreme, anything can be called terrorism or activities connected to it
threatening national security.

First Amendment protections
don't apply. OWS and other protesters may be called terrorists. Indefinite
detention in military prisons may follow. Citizenship rights are also
threatened if congressionally introduced legislation passes.

Called the Enemy
Expatriation Act, it lets Washington summarily
strip Americans of citizenship for "engaging in, or purposefully and
materially supporting, hostilities against the United States." No
corrorborative proof's needed. In other words, judicially fair convictions
according to law don't apply.

A Final Comment

America's on a slippery slope toward full-blown tyranny.
Freedom hangs by a thread. Anyone challenging state power is vulnerable.
Constitutional protections don't apply.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached
at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

Also visit his blog site at
sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with
distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive
Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at
noon. All programs are archived for easy listening.

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